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As the green bonds market continues to show impressive growth, leading investors released a Statement of Investor Expectations to support the development of a consistent, durable framework for the green bonds market, which has enormous potential to grow, especially in regard to clean energy financing and other solutions to climate change.

BICEP strongly supports enacting a Clean Fuels Standard in Washington. As a flexible market-based mechanism, it allows regulated parties to select the most cost-effective pathways to achieve compliance.

Today state energy officials from twelve states, including Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Pennsylvania met with eBay, General Mills and Unilever to discuss corporate adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency, and the implications for state policy, at the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) 2015 Energy Policy Outlook Conference.

Company is the first window and door manufacturer to sign declaration supporting innovative business actions to address climate change

Andersen Corporation announced today that it has signed the Ceres Climate Declaration on behalf of its Andersen® Windows, Renewal by Andersen® and Silver Line® brands. The Climate Declaration works to accelerate the adoption of sustainable business practices to build a healthy global economy.

Seattle-based Vulcan Inc., a diverse company with real estate, media, sports, aircraft, research, investment and philanthropic portfolios, has joined the BICEP coalition of 33 companies, representing a broad spectrum of business sectors to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies.

A U.S. company network, Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), applauds the Obama Administration’s announcement today of a new goal, and proposed suite of actions, to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas industry by 40 to 45 percent from 2012 levels by 2025.

As climate negotiations continue, investors raise questions for boards of oil and gas companies around the world

As countries gather in Lima to build momentum towards an international climate deal, the global investor community has today published a guide outlining expectations for fossil fuel companies on growing carbon asset risks as they prepare to step up their engagement with the industry in the coming year.

Business Support from Wide-Ranging Industries in All Regions of the Country

Marking the end of the comment period on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan, 223 companies today announced their support for EPA’s proposed carbon standard for electric power plants, including industry giants such as IKEA, Mars Inc., VF Corporation, and Nestlé.

As public attention is focused on the U.S. EPA's proposal for reducing carbon pollution from U.S. power plants, a new Ceres report finds that energy efficiency and specific renewable energy technologies are the most attractive options for U.S. utilities to meet future energy demand.

More U.S. mutual fund companies are acting to address the threat of climate change in their portfolios, with one-third of votes cast across 42 fund families supporting climate-related shareholder resolutions on average in 2014, according to an analysis by the sustainability advocacy group, Ceres.

In an unprecedented act of collaboration, the United States and China have provided additional momentum to tackle global climate change by agreeing to reduce their carbon emissions. This commitment represents a crucial signal for the increasing number of businesses who have been reshaping their investments to drive a low carbon economy.

The agreement by the world's two largest economies and carbon emitters is a game changer on every level. These joint carbon pollution and clean energy commitments will help catalyze clean energy investments globally.

Committee meets today for the first time, discussing water investments that can be used for green and climate bonds

A new Climate Bonds Expert Working Group, made up of key water sector and industry experts from around the world will be meeting for the first time today to develop criteria for water investments that can be used to back green and climate bonds certified under the Climate Bond Standard – an easy-to-use tool for investors and governments that allows them to assess the environmental integrity of bonds with confidence.

The election may have changed the political dynamics in Washington, but it doesn't change the science. The reality of global warming and the need for urgent action remain an imperative, a point made clear by this week’s alarming IPCC report. Business leaders understand this truth.

The IPCC report is alarming and should be a wake-up call to government leaders. It conclusively demonstrates that we need to act now on climate change and that failing to do so will be enormously costly for the environment and the global economy.

Over 100 businesses, including Virginia Mason, Microsoft, REI, and Saltchuk launched an open declaration calling for action on climate change. The Washington Business Climate Declaration highlights the support of state business leaders for action on climate change that would preserve and expand our state’s vibrant economy.

Climate Change Responses Only Nine of 330 Insurers Get High Grades; The Hartford, Prudential, Munich Re and Allianz Are Among Top Scorers

Amid growing evidence that climate change is having wide-ranging global impacts that will worsen in the years ahead, a new report from Ceres ranks the nation's 330 largest insurance companies on what they are saying and doing to respond to escalating climate risks.

Intel, Elemental Technologies, Symantec, and eBay are among the 200+ Oregon Companies Calling for Action on Climate

Oregon’s technology companies, including Intel and Elemental Technologies, have joined the growing list of businesses that have signed onto the Oregon Business Climate Declaration, highlighting opportunities to spur local economic development and job creation while curbing carbon pollution.

Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) announced today that the American icon and inventor of Corn Flakes, Kellogg Company, has joined the BICEP coalition to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies.

BlackRock, CalPERS, PensionDanmark, Deutsche, South African GEPF, Australian CFSGAM, Cathay Financial Holdings among 347 investors urging heads of state to take strong action on climate change

Days before the Climate Summit at the United Nations to spur climate action and facilitate a global climate agreement in 2015, nearly 350 global institutional investors representing over $24 trillion in assets have called on government leaders to provide stable, reliable and economically meaningful carbon pricing, as well as develop plans to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels.

BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy) announced today that one of the world’s largest and most storied food companies, General Mills, has joined the BICEP coalition to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies.

As the U.S. EPA prepares for listening sessions on its Clean Power Plan for existing power plants, a new report from Ceres and Clean Edge ranks the nation’s largest electric utilities and their local subsidiaries on their renewable energy sales and energy efficiency savings.

Ceres and CookESG Research today launched a free, easy to use web tool for accessing climate change-related disclosures in company filings with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, which issued formal climate disclosure guidance in 2010.

The nation’s largest companies are leaving Washington gridlock on climate change behind and rapidly embracing renewable energy sourcing and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts, according to a new report from Calvert Investments, Ceres, David Gardiner & Associates, and World Wildlife Fund.

Growing number of food, livestock and retail companies are responding with push for more sustainable growing practices

A new Ceres report released today shows that water and climate change risks are rising in the $67 billion U.S. corn sector, contributing to production and price volatility and growing concern by corn buyers that the nation’s largest crop needs to be grown more sustainably.

Power Plant Standard Called “Critical Step in Moving Our Country Towards a Clean Energy Economy”

In response to today’s release of a new EPA standard to limit carbon pollution from existing power plants, 128 companies and 49 investors, managing $800 billion in assets, sent letters of support to the Obama Administration, and to Senate and House majority and minority leaders.

Electric Power Industry is Transitioning to Lower-Carbon Sources and Positioned to Meet New EPA Carbon Standards

A new report on U.S. power plant emissions from the country’s top 100 electric power producers shows a downward trend in nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, mercury and carbon dioxide. The findings show that the industry is already shifting toward a combination of increased energy efficiency and lower carbon fuel sources, which should help it meet new EPA carbon standards.

Report assesses how well 613 of the largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. are performing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting human rights, and more

A report released today by Ceres and Sustainalytics found that while there are encouraging pockets of sustainability leadership in the U.S. business community, far too many companies are only taking small, incremental steps to address pressing sustainability issues that could impact their bottom lines and the future of our planet and economy – such as climate change and human rights.

Long-time shareholder advocate and executive director of the Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment, Sister Patricia Daly, OP has been awarded the sixth-annual Joan Bavaria Award for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets.

17 Major Companies Meet with Congressional Leaders to Push for Climate Policies; IKEA Announces Purchase of Major Wind Farm in Illinois

On the heels of a new UN report detailing damaging and accelerating impacts of climate change, top business executives from IKEA, JLL, Mars Inc., Sprint and VF Corp. met today with members of the Congressional Bicameral Task Force on Climate Change to discuss climate-related impacts on their companies.

Today's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report pulls no punches in concluding that our world is on a dangerous path and urgent action is needed now to reverse the pollution that is causing it.

Major institutional investors announced an initiative to engage global stock exchanges via the World Federation of Exchanges on a possible uniform reporting standard for sustainability reporting by all exchange members.

BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy) announced today that Aveda, the Minnesota-based manufacturer and distributor of botanically-based personal care products, has joined the coalition.

Motivated by mounting scientific evidence that human activity is a leading cause of climate change, major institutional investors are pushing for stronger actions from companies in climate-related shareholder resolutions in the 2014 proxy season.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not adequately addressed the climate disclosure deficiencies of publicly traded corporations, despite four-year-old formal guidance requiring companies to disclose material climate change risks, according to a report published by Ceres today.

Anadarko and Halliburton among companies seen as vulnerable to potential water stress

As hydraulic fracturing is increasingly used for oil and gas extraction across much of the United States and Western Canada, a new Ceres report issued today shows that much of this activity is happening in arid, water stressed regions, creating significant long-term water sourcing risks for companies operating in these regions as well as their investors.

We applaud President Obama's firm commitment to transition the U.S. to a clean energy economy by expanding renewable energy sources, ending fossil fuel subsidies and regulating carbon emissions from existing power plants.

Nearly 500 leading investors meeting today at the United Nations see major growth potential for ramping up green bonds and other clean energy investments to the levels necessary in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

On Wednesday, January 15, 2014, more than 500 global financial leaders will gather at the United Nations to discuss the growing urgency of climate change and investor actions that are needed to mitigate escalating economic risks. The all-day gathering will include key players in the climate debate.

A consortium of investment banks today announced their support of the Green Bond Principles – Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Banking, JPMorgan Chase, BNP Paribas, Daiwa, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Mizuho Securities, Morgan Stanley, Rabobank and SEB. These Principles were developed with guidance from issuers, investors and environmental groups and serve as voluntary guidelines on recommended process for the development and issuance of Green Bonds. They encourage transparency, disclosure and integrity in the development of the Green Bond market.

New resources for city leaders to better protect residents from extreme weather

City leaders and urban planners now have a suite of new tools to better protect residents from extreme weather events like Typhoon Haiyan and Superstorm Sandy, thanks to three new resources released this month by Ceres, ClimateWise and other groups.

During a listening session hosted today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ceres staff members testified to the economic opportunity provided by addressing climate change and spoke out in support of the EPA’s proposed rules for existing power plants.

One year after Superstorm Sandy, 20 major U.S. businesses demand action

One year after Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast, major U. S. companies including Starbucks, Unilever and Mars, Inc. have called on President Obama and the White House to follow through on climate change preparedness efforts outlined in the Climate Action Plan announced by the President on June 25th.

A new Ceres report documents rising taxpayer costs to federal programs that provide flood insurance, crop insurance, wildfire protection and disaster relief. Some extreme weather-prone states such as Florida and Texas are also facing more acute financial exposure.

Starting this week, the Climate Declaration’s message that “tackling climate change is America’s greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century” will be showcased on the CBS Jumbotron on 42nd street in New York City’s Times Square for the next three months.

Coalition of 70 investors worth $3 trillion call on world’s largest oil & gas, coal and electric power companies to assess risks under climate action and ‘business as usual’ scenarios

A group of 70 global investors managing more than $3 trillion of collective assets launched the first-ever coordinated effort to spur 45 of the world’s top oil and gas, coal and electric power companies to assess the financial risks that climate change poses to their business plans.

Lifestyle Apparel Powerhouse Commits to Climate Leadership on same day as new IPCC climate science report release showing that climate change is underway

BICEP today announced that VF Corporation has joined the coalition to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies. The company has also signed the Climate Declaration, which calls for federal policymakers to seize the American economic opportunity to address climate change.

In the wake of a new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report re-confirming the reality of climate change and clarifying its effects, business and investor leaders talked today about the ways in which global warming is already affecting their bottom lines and their strategies.

22 U.S. Companies including Unilever, Levi Strauss & Co. and The North Face sign support letter for Performance Standards for Power Plants and call for Existing Source Standards

Nearly two-dozen major U.S. companies and nearly 50 investors with more than $900 billion of collective assets announced their support today for new carbon pollution standards proposed by the EPA for new power plants.

The World’s Leading Snowboarding Company Commits to Climate and Clean Energy Action

BICEP (Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy) announced today that Burton Snowboards, the world’s leading snowboard company, has joined the BICEP coalition to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies.

Business calls for strong climate change action are getting louder. Today, a half-dozen leading global companies with more than 100,000 employees, including Microsoft, Owens Corning, Diageo, Thornton Tomasetti, and Acer America Corporation joined hundreds of other U.S. businesses in signing the Climate Declaration.

Investors achieved noteworthy victories during this year’s shareholder proxy season, with a near record 110 shareholder resolutions filed with 94 U.S. companies on corporate sustainability challenges such as climate change, supply chain issues and water-related risks.

The European Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, the North American Investor Network on Climate Risk, the Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change and the Asia Investor Group on Climate Change have today published a report detailing the investment practices of asset managers and asset owners such as pension funds, relating to climate change.

Ceres’ Analysis Shows North Dakota Oil Industry Burned Off $1 Billion of Natural Gas in 2012; Industry Now Flares $3.6 Million Each Day

The tremendous growth of unconventional oil production in North Dakota has also led to a rapid rise in the production of associated natural gas and natural gas liquids. A new Ceres report reveals that large and growing volumes of this gas are being burned off rather than sold, creating significant economic and environmental impacts.

Less than a week after President Obama unveiled an ambitious climate change action plan, major U.S. investors are encouraging policymakers to extend benefits available to oil, gas and real estate projects to spur investment in renewable energy developments.

Nike, Intel, eBay, Symantec, Unilever and Other Climate Declaration Signatories Join Dozens of Businesses Expressing Support for U.S. Action on Climate Change

Two days after President Obama unveiled a sweeping plan to address the threat of climate change, more than 50 companies have offered their support for the President’s national climate change strategy, including statements from several CEOs.

Institutional investors and their investment managers must integrate the financial risks from climate change, resource scarcity, supply chain failures and tighter water supplies into their investment practices if they are to be successful in the 21st century.

A broad range of businesses and investors from across the country are offering strong support for President Obama’s climate plan. The businesses are all signatories of the Climate Declaration, a statement calling on U.S. policymakers to capture the American economic opportunities of addressing climate change.

A total of 364 American small businesses from 47 states and the District of Columbia have signed the Climate Declaration, a statement calling on U.S. policymakers to capture the American economic opportunities of addressing climate change.

Investors from over 20 emerging and developed economies gathered for the first time last week to consider the risks and opportunities arising from climate change, and to develop further their collective efforts.

Global Food Leader is Newest Member of Ceres’ Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) Coalition, Joining Starbucks, Annie’s and Other Food Sector Firms

BICEP announced that Mars, Incorporated has joined Ceres’ BICEP coalition to advocate for innovative climate and clean energy policies. In addition, Mars has signed BICEP’s Climate Declaration, which calls upon federal policymakers to seize the American economic opportunity of addressing climate change.

Amid growing concern that climate change is already having substantial global economic impacts, a coalition of institutional investors, including INCR, will meet in Hong Kong to identify the financial and investment risks associated with climate change and the opportunities for investing in a low carbon future.

On the Eve of the First Global Investor Forum on Climate Change in Hong Kong, Investors Cite Economic Opportunity of Addressing Climate Change in the U.S.

On the eve of the inaugural Global Investor Forum on Climate Change, 22 American investment firms with approximately $240 billion in assets under management have signed the Climate Declaration, calling on U.S. policymakers to seize the American economic opportunity of addressing climate change.

Three large American mutual fund companies – which collectively manage more than $930 billion in assets – last year supported the vast majority of shareholder resolutions filed with companies on climate change business risks.

The World Resources Institute, a global non-profit organization that focuses on the environment and economic development, and Ceres, a non-profit group that mobilizes business and investor leadership on sustainability challenges, have become the newest members of the Growing Blue network.

Ski Resorts from 24 States Join 40 Other Large Businesses in Call for U.S. Policies That Capture Economic Opportunities of Addressing Climate Change

Today, 108 ski areas from around the United States joined with 40 other businesses, Ceres and its BICEP in signing the Climate Declaration, which calls upon federal policymakers to seize the American economic opportunity of addressing climate change

New Report from Investor Network on Climate Risk Identifies Policies That Can Bring Energy Efficiency Finance to Institutional Scale in U.S.

Energy efficiency is estimated to be a multi-hundred-billion dollar investment opportunity in the United States, but better policies are required to unlock broad-based financing from institutional investors, who together manage approximately $70 trillion in assets globally.

Latest data on top 100 power producers show significant declines in SO2, NOx and moderate CO2 reductions

A new report on U.S. power plant emissions from the top 100 power producers shows that the electric industry cut emissions of NOx, SO2 and CO2 in 2011 even as overall electricity generation increased, largely due to increased use of natural gas and growing reliance on renewable energy.

Nearly half of 25,450 oil and gas wells evaluated in U.S. are in water basins with high and extremely high water stress; industry’s future growth depends on accelerating solutions such as more water recycling, better water management planning

A new Ceres research paper on water use in hydraulic fracturing operations shows that a significant portion of this activity is happening in water stressed regions of the United States, most prominently Texas and Colorado, which are both in the midst of prolonged drought conditions.

Phil Angelides has been awarded the fifth-annual Joan Bavaria Award for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets. The announcement was made today, the first day of the annual Ceres Conference, which is running May 1-2 at The Fairmont in San Francisco, CA.

Seven more U.S. businesses, including U.S. automaker General Motors, have signed the Climate Declaration, a statement from Ceres and its BICEP coalition that urges federal policymakers to take action on climate change.

The Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings (GISR) announced the Beta Version of a set of core Principles as part of an international effort to drive excellence in corporate sustainability ratings, rankings and indices.

As the President unveils his budget for the coming year, 33 major U.S. companies, including eBay Inc., Nike and Limited Brands signed a “Climate Declaration,” urging federal policymakers to take action on climate change.

U.S. water providers are facing unprecedented challenges and investors who finance the projects that keep the water flowing want better information on how water utilities are managing these risks. To assist in improved disclosure, Ceres is releasing a disclosure framework for water and sewer utilities.

Confronting and responding to climate challenges is the focus of “Building Climate Resilience in Cities: San Diego Workshop,” on March 27-28 at the University of San Diego. The gathering, organized by Ceres and ClimateWise, will include leading climate scientists, insurance experts and state planners.

Analysis of first-ever industry-wide survey finds that only 23 of 184 companies have comprehensive climate change strategies, yet some leaders are emerging.

Insurers are increasingly acknowledging that extreme weather has become the new normal, yet a new report from Ceres finds that many in the industry are only just beginning to think about how to address the effects climate change may have on their business.

Bakken’s Largest Oil Producer Commits to ‘as Close to Zero Percent Flaring as Possible’ As Industry Continues to Flare 30 Percent of Produced Gas

Continental Resources, Inc., the largest oil producers in North Dakota’s Bakken region, has committed to reduce natural gas flaring following a shareholder resolution filed by Mercy Investment Services.

Shareholder Resolutions Call for Quantifiable Progress on Environmental Risks, Fugitive Methane Emissions and Other Community Impacts

Citing concerns over water management, chemical disclosure, and greenhouse gas emissions, investors call upon oil and gas companies to disclose information about how they are managing the risks associated with “fracking”.

Ceres today announced that Adele Smith Simmons, a senior executive at Metropolis Strategies and a board member at insurance brokerage firm Marsh & McLennan Cos., has been elected to its Board of Directors.

Ceres Receives Prestigious Top Prize in NGO Category at the World Future Energy Summit

Ceres today announced that it has been awarded the top prize in the non-governmental organization (NGO) category of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious awards recognizing and rewarding innovation, impact, leadership, and long-term vision in renewable energy and sustainability.

Large Oil Developer Burns Off Natural Gas as Other Firms Set Flaring Reduction Goals

The rapid growth in domestic oil production has set the U.S. on track to become the world’s top oil producer by 2015, but investors are wary of the environmentally damaging practices associated with that growth.

The report, “Power Forward: Why the World’s Largest Companies are Investing in Renewable Energy,” shows that a majority of Fortune 100 companies have set a renewable energy commitment, a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction commitment or both.

Representing trillions in assets under management, global investor groups issue open letter to governments in wake of US President Obama’s re-election and Chinese leadership change

Groups representing the world’s largest investors today published an open letter addressed to governments of the world’s largest economies calling for a new dialogue on climate change policy in order to avert dangerous climate change and its resulting economic impacts.

Poll: Polluters should pay for their role in climate change, invest in jobs that can’t be outsourced

On the day that California launches its cap and trade program, a new poll shows strong support for maintaining and expanding efforts to account for the costs of climate pollution and invest in clean energy sources.

In a letter delivered to Congress, two dozen investors with more than $800 billion in assets under management today called for an immediate extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for renewable power.

Three weeks before Election Day, BICEP today announced its support for Michigan’s Proposal 3, which would require at least 25 percent of the state’s electricity to come from renewable energy sources by 2025.

A new Ceres report shows that investment consultants retained by major asset owners have generally not considered environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities as they advise their investor clients on their portfolios.

BICEP Companies and Major Consumer Brands Tout Economic Benefits of Wind Power and the Production Tax Credit

Today, 19 companies, including major consumer brands and several Fortune 500 firms, wrote to Congressional leaders encouraging them to extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC), a key provision supporting renewable energy.

Ceres and Trillium Asset Management are seeking nominations for the sixth annual Joan Bavaria Award. Submissions will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, December 31, 2012. Nominations can be submitted at www.ceres.org/awards/joan-bavaria-award/nominate.

With the newly adopted national mileage standard of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025 making the headlines today, top business leaders are eager to weigh in with the media on how the standard will positively impact the U.S. economy and the U.S. auto industry.

A new and more risk-laden energy future is taking shape as the global thirst for fossil fuels spurs a search on frontiers once beyond technology’s reach. A new report says investors aren’t getting a clear picture from companies of just how deep the material risks are.

Majority of investors have boosted their attention to addressing climate change, but gaps still remain in integrating climate risks and opportunities across investment portfolios

The North American Investor Network on Climate Risk (“INCR”), the European Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (“IIGCC”) and the Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change ("IGCC") jointly published a report detailing the investment practices of asset managers and asset owners towards climate change issues.

During the 2012 proxy voting season, investors successfully used shareholder resolutions to spur action on corporate sustainability challenges such as climate change, hydraulic fracturing and supply chain and water availability risks.

Despite growing climate-related risks of water scarcity, extreme weather, drought and flooding, many water-intensive industries do not provide sufficient data on overall water use and financially material risks

Overall corporate disclosures of water-related risks have increased since 2009, but most reporting remains weak and inconsistent according to Clearing the Waters: A Review of Corporate Water Risk Disclosure in SEC Filings, a new report issued today by Ceres.

Representing over $20 trillion in assets, institutional investor groups urge industry to reduce global emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas twenty times more powerful than CO2

The North American Investor Network on Climate Risk (“INCR”), the European Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (“IIGCC”) and the Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change (“IGCC”) have today issued a joint statement calling on companies and governments to take effective action to minimize methane emissions from rapidly growing unconventional oil and gas production made possible by hydraulic fracturing.

A newly released guide focuses on companies in multiple sectors, all of which are highly vulnerable to climate impacts. The guide provides detailed checklists that companies should use to assess, manage and disclose physical risks they face from climate change.

Cautious Approach to Development on Federal Lands Makes Sense Given Unknowns About the Technology and its Wider Impacts

Citing technological uncertainties and a wide range of other risks, a new Ceres white paper supports the Bureau of Land Management’s proposal to take a cautious approach to oil shale production in the western U.S.

Working with Ceres, Deckers will publish its first sustainability report using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines. The company will also work with Ceres to formalize a robust stakeholder engagement program.

The three largest mutual fund companies in the U.S. voted on dozens of shareholder resolutions last year seeking to improve corporate environmental and financial performance related to climate change. But in no case did any of the three firms cast an affirmative vote.

National homebuilder KB Home and organic food producer Annie’s Inc. today became the two newest companies to advocate for strong clean energy and climate change policies in the US by joining BICEP – Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy – a national coalition of consumer brands organized by Ceres.

Day one yields major announcements from U.S. companies, paving the way for day two keynoter Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator

Companies and investors are tackling climate change and other global sustainability threats head-on—and are finding it profitable to do so. That’s the clear message emerging at the Ceres Conference 2012: Igniting Innovation, Scaling Sustainability at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.
The conference’s opening day was marked by numerous company announcements and the release of a new Ceres/Sustainalytics report evaluating 600 leading US companies on their progress – or lack of it – on sustainability.

Survey of 600 Large Firms Shows Pockets of Leadership in Four Measured Categories: Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, Disclosure and Sustainability Performance

In the first major assessment of progress on a unique Ceres Roadmap to corporate sustainability released two years ago, Ceres and global research and analysis firm Sustainalytics today released “The Road to 2020: Corporate Progress on the Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability.”

Tessa Tennant, President and co-founder of The Ice Organisation, has been awarded the fourth-annual Joan Bavaria Award for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets. The announcement was made at Tuesday’s opening reception of the Ceres annual conference, which runs April 25-26 at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel in Boston, MA.

Over the next 20 years, electric utilities will likely spend some $2 trillion - $100 billion per year - on capital investments to replace aging power plants, implement new technologies and meet new regulatory requirements.

Automakers will likely make billions more dollars in profits - under proposed new national gas mileage and emissions standards that will be finalized later this summer. A new report - produced by Citi Investment Research and Analysis in collaboration with Ceres - shows that American automakers will likely enjoy the biggest percentage increase in profits.

With escalating shale oil production putting the US on track to become the world’s largest oil producer, investors are challenging an increasingly common industry practice – burning off or ‘flaring’ associated natural gas from shale oil wells – as environmentally damaging, economically wasteful and a threat to the industry’s bottom line.

Effective adaption measures key to improve society’s resilience to extreme weather & climate change, insurance industry has an important role to play

In the wake of a new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on extreme weather and climate change, Ceres and insurance industry executives today released statements on the report’s findings and the growing impacts of extreme weather on their businesses and actions that are needed to respond if climate trends continue.

Coming off a year of record-setting $1 billion-plus natural disasters, representatives of leading insurance companies said today that costs to taxpayers and businesses from extreme weather will continue to soar because of climate change.

Staples, Starbucks, Nike, Levi Strauss & Co., Campbell Soup, Yahoo and other large corporate purchasers of renewable energy delivered a letter today to Congressional leadership asking for an extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind power – scheduled to expire in December 2012.

In response to today’s release by 14 institutional investors representing $1.6 trillion in assets of An Investor’s Framework for the Future: Financial Market Reform Priorities for the SEC, the following statement was issued by Mindy S. Lubber, president of Ceres and director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR).

Leading U.S. investors today announced they have filed shareholder resolutions with Southern Company, FirstEnergy, Ameren and seven other electric power providers, pressing them to disclose their plans for managing the risks associated with climate change and pending clean air regulations.

Leading U.S. investors today announced they have filed shareholder resolutions with Exxon-Mobil, Chevron, Chesapeake Energy, ConocoPhillips and 14 other oil and gas companies, pressing them to disclose their plans for managing environmental and workplace challenges such as hydraulic fracturing, greenhouse gas emissions and worker safety.

Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy today announced that Ohio-based Limited Brands is the newest retailer to join BICEP and commit to working with businesses and policymakers to enact meaningful energy and climate policies.

Policy and funding changes needed to support efficiency, reliability and environmental upgrades for U.S. freshwater systems

Innovative financing and pricing flexibility are key to preparing the nation’s aging freshwater systems to handle growing demand and environmental challenges, according to a Charting New Waters report released today by The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, American Rivers and Ceres.

Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), a coalition of major American businesses, is saluting California’s efforts to accelerate nationwide adoption of innovative clean cars policies through a new ad campaign. These policies will drive job creation, save consumers billions at the pump and cut pollution more than 25 percent by the year 2030.

Climate change creates enormous economic risks, but investors know it also represents one of the great financial opportunities of our time. And they are not waiting for governments to start moving on their own toward action.

In response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement today of its final Mercury and Air Toxics Rule for Power Plants, the following statement was issued by Mindy S. Lubber, president of Ceres and director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 100 institutional investors across North America managing more than $10 trillion in assets

World’s Largest Investors Vow to Seize Initiative in Wake of Durban Climate Talks

On January 12, nearly 500 of the world’s investors and most powerful financial players will gather at the United Nations to showcase their actions and discuss promising trends to catalyze the large-scale investment needed to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate potentially catastrophic climate impacts.

Ceres and Trillium Asset Management are seeking nominations for the fifth annual Joan Bavaria Award. Submissions will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, February 13, 2012. Nominations can be submitted at www.ceres.org/awards/joan-bavaria-award/nominate.

In the wake of a new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on extreme weather and climate change, business leaders today discussed the growing impacts of extreme weather on their companies and customers, and actions that are needed to respond if climate patterns continue.

Pollution Control Installations at Power Plants Have Already Created Hundreds of Jobs Across the Country; Builds on Earlier Study Finding Two New Rules Will Create Nearly 1.5 Million Jobs

A new study details the positive impacts on the economy and job creation resulting from companies’ investments in emission control technology in response to new air pollution rules from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Leading investors praised the Obama Administration’s release today of proposed fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards — standards that will raise automobile fuel economy to 54.5 miles per gallon on average by 2025, up from 27.3 currently.

National Grid Subsidiaries and PG&E Lead in Efficiency Spending and Savings, While United Electric Coop. Service and Southern Company Subsidiaries Lags Their Peers

A new report comparing the energy efficiency programs of 50 electric utility companies shows wide disparities in how much money U.S. utilities are investing in energy efficiency programs, and how successful those programs are at saving energy.

Federal 54.5 MPG standard by 2025 would create roughly 57,300 new jobs in CA, boost state GDP by $3.67 billion

Ceres released California economic impact data found in “More Jobs Per Gallon,” an economic analysis by the independent firm Management Information Services, Inc. that quantifies what stronger fuel economy/GHG standards would mean for California and the U.S. economy.

Despite the global economic crisis, and increased market volatility, the world’s largest investors today urged governments and international policy makers to take new and meaningful steps in the fight against climate change.

Against a backdrop of increasing business exposure to global water supply threats, Ceres today released a new tool for evaluating those risks – and opportunities – that both investors and companies can use as a roadmap to enhanced water stewardship.

A new, nationwide poll shows that by a wide margin, voters of both political parties and in all regions of the U.S. disagree with Congress’ anti-Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agenda and support the EPA’s new rules to limit air pollution from coal-fired power plants.

Carbon emissions, management and remediation of contaminated land, and sub-contracted labor issues are some of the sustainability issues that can now be reported by construction and real estate companies, thanks to new guidance published today by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

First-of-its-Kind Report Includes 75 Leading Examples of Sustainability-Focused Proxy Voting Guidelines Other Investors Can Consider Using

The first-of-its-kind report lays out four concise sets of principles on governance, social issues, general sustainability and environmental performance to guide investors’ voting on specific resolutions addressing these topics.

Only 11 of 88 major insurers surveyed recently have formal policies in place to deal with growing climate change risks, according to a major new report issued today by Ceres. The report was to have been delivered today at a conference of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) that was cancelled due to Hurricane Irene.

Leaders in Property Sector Reduce Annual Energy Consumption by Three Percent in 2010

Leading real estate companies reduced their annual energy consumption by nearly 3 percent in 2010 and are taking steps to integrate environmental management into their daily operations, according to a report issued today by the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Foundation.

Interview First in Three-Part Podcast Series Exploring Energy Economy in the Rocky Mountain West

Ceres today launched a three-part podcast series exploring Montana’s energy future. The first episode features Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, now serving his second term as governor, who discusses why he is keen to kick America’s dependency on foreign fuel supplies.

Ceres President Mindy Lubber and two leading investors issued public statements today on the proposed Clean Fuels Standard for 11 Northeast states and the early release of NESCAUM’s economic analysis showing clear economic benefits stemming from a Clean Fuels Standard (CFS).

Ceres, the nation’s largest coalition of investors and public interest groups working to promote sustainability, issued the following statement on today's announcement of the first fuel efficiency/GHG standards for heavy- and medium-duty trucks from 2014-2018.

Ceres marks with sadness the passing of Ray Anderson, Interface founder and chairman, an extraordinary leader and sustainability pioneer. Anderson was a long-time Ceres friend and advisor, and one of the first industrialists to build his entire business model around sustainability.

Ceres, the nation’s largest coalition of investors and public interest groups, today submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), urging it to reduce hazardous air pollution from coal- and oil-fired power plants and help transition the industry toward cleaner energy resources.

As President Obama announces the next round of a coordinated national program to improve fuel efficiency for model year 2017-2025, Ceres released “More Jobs Per Gallon,” an economic analysis by the independent firm Management Information Services, Inc. that quantifies what stronger fuel economy/GHG standards would mean for the U.S. economy.

Ceres, a national coalition of leading institutional investors and environmental groups, launched an ad campaign today promoting the economic benefits of higher fuel efficiency standards, citing recent expert research and polling. The ad campaign, which begins with radio spots in Washington DC and Michigan, is in response to news that the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM) had launched a radio ad campaign claiming adverse economic impacts from strong CAFE standards.

Ceres applauds EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson on today's announcement of the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. Coupled with the forthcoming air toxics rule, this long-awaited rule will unleash billions of dollars in capital improvement investments to reduce pollution from existing power plants and build new, clean generation

BICEP’s First Sports Franchise, a Low-Carbon and Clean Energy Innovator, Highlights the Business Case for Strong Policy Among Major Sports Teams

The Portland Trail Blazers today became the first professional sports franchise to stand up publicly for comprehensive energy and climate policies in the U.S. by joining BICEP - Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy - a coalition of consumer brands organized by Boston-based Ceres.

Investors achieved noteworthy victories during this year’s shareholder proxy season, with a record 109 shareholder resolutions filed with 81 U.S. and Canadian companies on climate change, unconventional fossil fuel production and related sustainability risks and opportunities.

Ceres today announced it has added four new members to its Board of Directors: Carl Pope, chairman of the Sierra Club; Janet Ranganathan, vice president for Science and Research at the World Resources Institute (WRI); Peter Rosenblum, chair of the Business Department and partner at Foley Hoag LLP; and Damon A. Silvers, director of Policy and Special Counsel at the AFL-CIO.

The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (“IIGCC”), the North American Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) and Australia/New Zealand Investor Group on Climate Change (IGCC) have today jointly published a report detailing the investment practices of asset managers, such as primary fund managers, and asset owners, such as pension funds, towards climate change issues.

Ceres and Tellus Institute, two leading organizations that work with companies, investors and nonprofit groups to embed sustainable practices in capital markets, today announced the launch of an initiative to create and bring to widespread adoption a single standard for rating the sustainability performance of companies.

Citing global climate change, resource constraints and growing population pressures, more than two dozen major institutional investors, collectively managing $1 trillion in assets, have asked the Russell 1000 companies in a jointly-signed letter to actively embrace the “new reality” of so-called ESG risks – environmental, social and governance – in both their actions and required investor disclosures.

1,600 likely Ohio and Michigan voters surveyed by the Mellman Group for Ceres, see job and national security benefits as well as big savings at the pump

A new poll of 800 likely Michigan voters and 800 likely Ohio voters found overwhelming and intense support for requiring the auto industry to increase average fuel economy to 60 miles per gallon by 2025 and reduce carbon dioxide pollution from new cars, pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs.

Against a backdrop of gas prices exceeding $4 a gallon in many U.S. cities, Ceres hosted a face-to-face media availability and roundtable discussion on the economic benefits of strong fuel economy and emissions standards with California Air Resources Board (CARB) chair Mary Nichols and institutional investors.

Ceres announced today that it is has approved Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF.B), a spirits and wine company headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, as a Ceres Network Company. Brown-Forman has brands in its portfolio such as Jack Daniel’s, Herradura, El Jimador, Finlandia, Sonoma-Cutrer and Southern Comfort, among others. Companies that join Ceres commit to improve their sustainability disclosure and performance by engaging with investors, environmental groups and other stakeholders.

The Ceres Board of Directors announced today that Sprint Nextel, Intuit and Brown Forman have joined the Ceres Network of Companies. Companies that join Ceres commit to improve their sustainability disclosure and performance by engaging with investors, environmental groups and other stakeholders.

Sustainable business practices got a powerful, public boost today when a group of globally prominent investors, Fortune 500 companies and organized labor announced a series of coordinated commitments to combat climate change and other societal challenges while building a safer, more sustainable global economy.

Nike received the top sustainable reporting award today for the North American competition sponsored by Ceres and the Association for Chartered Certified Accountants at the Ceres conference in Oakland. The award was accepted by Hannah Jones, Vice President of Sustainable Business and Innovation at Nike.
Other winners, selected from nearly 100 nominations by an independent panel of expert judges, included Anvil Knitwear, American Electric Power and SAP.

Socially responsible investing advocates Peter Kinder, co-founder and president until 2009 of KLD Research & Analytics, and William Foote, founder and CEO of Root Capital, were honored May 10, by Ceres and Trillium Asset Management as this year’s winners of the fourth annual Joan Bavaria Awards for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets.

Recently released data from independent business groups and the Environmental Protection Agency demonstrates the positive economic impacts of clean air standards and disprove the claims that new standards are bad for the economy, business and investing leaders said during a media teleconference today.

Ceres announced today that it is has approved Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE:AMD), a semiconductor design innovator, as a Ceres Network Company. Companies that join Ceres commit to improve their sustainability disclosure and performance by engaging with investors, environmental groups and other stakeholders.

Support Split Among Leaders and Laggards, with TIAA-CREF, Wells Fargo Leading on Voting Support and Vanguard, State Street Failing to Support Any Climate-Related Resolutions

U.S. mutual funds’ proxy voting patterns for climate-related shareholder resolutions are not keeping pace with the escalating risks associated with climate change. Mutual funds’ overall support of these resolutions dropped from 27 percent in 2009 to 24 percent in 2010, after rising steadily the previous three years.
That is the finding of Ceres’ sixth annual analysis of U.S. mutual fund votes by 46 leading mutual fund families collectively managing approximately $6 trillion in assets. The analysis was jointly conducted with Fund Votes, which has tracked U.S. mutual fund voting since reporting was first required in 2004.

Institutional Investors Join Proxy Voting Agencies in Registering Dissatisfaction with Votes on BP’s Accounts and Reports and Other Ballot Items

On the one-year anniversary of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, an international coalition of leading socially responsible investors recommended to vote against or abstain from the BP accounts and reports at the company’s upcoming annual meeting.

Tougher Fuel Efficiency Standards, Electric Vehicle Push Will Accelerate Sales and Profits for US Carmakers More than Global Competitors, Two Analyses Conclude

Two new reports from Citi Investment Research, Ceres and industry experts conclude that U.S. automakers will be more profitable at a fleetwide 42 mpg average in 2020 – and that by 2015 more than one in 20 cars sold in the U.S. will be hybrid, plug-in or full electric vehicles (EV).

March 23, 2011 – In response to shareholder requests, three leading electric utilities, Dominion, Southern Company and PPL Corporation, have agreed to significantly expand reporting and disclosure on water availability risks and plans for mitigating those risks.

In response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement today of its proposed Mercury and Air Toxics Standard, the following statement was issued by Mindy S. Lubber, president of Ceres and director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of 95 institutional investors across North America managing more than $9 trillion in assets.

Former Congressman Bob Inglis (R-SC) addressed businesses, policymakers, investors and NGOs on the urgent issue of climate change at a March 16 Leadership Breakfast in Washington, DC, hosted by Ceres' Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) coalition.

February 25, 2011 – Amid growing evidence that climate change is impacting the global environment and the global economy, the Ceres investor coalition today announced a new report aimed at improving corporate disclosure of climate-related risks and opportunities they face.

Shareholders Urge Energy Companies to Tackle Risks from Climate Change, Water Scarcity and Other Environmental Threats

February 16, 2011 – Affirming the financial risks that climate change and other environmental concerns pose to leading energy companies, investors announced today the filing of 66 climate and energy related shareholder resolutions with 41 coal, electric power and oil companies in the 2011 proxy season, making 2011 a record for shareholder engagement in the energy sector, even in the face of Congressional inaction on climate change.

February 15, 2011 – Mercer’s report, “Climate Change Scenarios – Implications for Strategic Asset Allocation,” lends credence to a concern that the Investor Network on Climate Risk has been voicing for years. Climate change poses real costs and risks that are material to investment portfolios of pension funds and institutions around the world

February 9, 2011 – Timberland Senior Manager Betsy Blaisdell told the House Energy and Commerce Committee that “preventing EPA from exercising its authority, or rolling back any of its actions, would cost the economy in human health, in terms of illness that often results in lost work days, and more.

February 9, 2011 – Companies that occupy office space around the world consider sustainability a key factor in their space occupancy plans, and half of corporate real estate executives say they will pay extra for space in green buildings, according to the fourth annual Sustainability Survey conducted by CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle.

February 9, 2010 – Anvil Knitwear, a century-old apparel brand, today announced that it has joined the fast-growing Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) coalition. Anvil becomes the 20th member of BICEP, a group of major American companies committed to working with businesses and policymakers to enact meaningful energy and climate policies.

1.4 Million New Jobs Associated with Installing Pollution Controls and Building New Power Plants

February 8, 2011 – Air pollution rules being proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the electric power sector will provide economic benefits and jobs across much of the United States, concentrated especially in the next five years, according to a new report from Ceres announced today at the 2011 Good Jobs, Green Jobs National Conference.

Ceres today announced the approval of The Walt Disney Company (Disney) as a Ceres network company. Disney will work with Ceres to improve its efforts on key environmental and social sustainability issues. Disney will also engage key stakeholders to help advance its sustainability strategy, disclosure, and performance.

January 27, 2011 – New Belgium Brewing, the nation’s third largest craft brewery, today announced it is joining the fast-growing Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) coalition, a group of major American businesses pushing for passage of comprehensive energy and climate legislation in the U.S.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards. Of the 98 sustainability reports received, 17 were selected for further consideration by the judges’ panel that meets next month. The final winners will be announced at the Ceres Annual Conference on May 11-12th in Oakland, Calif.

January 11, 2011 – Ceres and Trillium Asset Management are seeking nominations for the fourth annual Joan Bavaria Awards for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets. The Joan Bavaria Awards are given annually to two leaders working to move the capital markets toward a system that balances economic prosperity with social and environmental concerns. One award is given for long-term impact; the second award is for innovation.

January 11, 2011 – Ceres announced today that it is has approved CA Technologies, a global IT software management company, as a Ceres network company. The New York-based company is the first software firm to join the Ceres company network.

December 14, 2010 – The Securities and Exchange Commission should play a critical role in requiring oil companies to boost their public disclosure of material financial risks they face from offshore oil drilling projects. To that end, a group of leading U.S. investors has asked the national commission investigating the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to recommend development of new disclosure guidance from the SEC for energy companies involved in ever-increasing deepwater drilling activity globally.

Dozens of U.S. Projects Now Underway Face Climate-Related Regulatory Challenges, Water Risks and Technological Uncertainties

December 9, 2010 – As pressure mounts to develop unconventional fuel sources to enhance U.S. energy security, a new Ceres report released today shows that coal-to-liquid (CTL) and oil shale technologies face significant environmental and financial obstacles - from water constraints, to technological uncertainties to regulatory and market risks - that pose substantial financial risks for investors involved in such projects.

November 30, 2010 – We are writing as major US businesses to urge you to oppose all riders to the FY11 Interior Appropriations bill that would block or delay enforcement of the Clean Air Act and /or specifically curtail EPA’s ability to take action on the regulation of carbon.

Mindy S. Lubber, president of the non-profit group Ceres, was honored today by the United Nations and the Foundation for Social Change as one of the “World’s Top Leaders of Change” for her work in mobilizing leading companies to integrate environmental challenges into their core business strategies.

October 21, 2010 – Growing water scarcity in many parts of the United States is a hidden financial risk for investors who buy the water and electric utility bonds that finance much of the country's vast water and power infrastructure, according to a first-ever report on the issue released today by Ceres and Water Asset Management.

Ballot Measure Would Cost Jobs, Investment; Risk California’s Market Lead in One of 21st Century’s Great Emerging Industries

September 29, 2010 – California-based Levi Strauss & Co., eBay Inc., Symantec, Clif Bar & Company and The North Face – all internationally known brand names – today urged California voters to reject the Proposition 23 ballot initiative. They said it would effectively kill the state’s landmark air pollution and clean energy law – and with it the kind of technological innovation opportunities that create many jobs.

Amid rising global temperatures, population growth and resource constraints, Ceres formed a collaboration today with Nike, the Skoll Foundation and the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), the nation's largest public pension fund, to use their collective clout to urge the nation's largest companies to move more quickly to understand global sustainability risks and develop new business models and solutions.

Ceres - a national coalition of investor, environmental and public interest groups – and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Canada invite corporations and organizations to submit their sustainability reports to the 10th annual Ceres-ACCA North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting.

Ceres is pleased to welcome Legg Mason Global Asset Management (Legg Mason) into its network of companies. Legg Mason is one of the largest asset management firms in the world, with $658 billon in assets under management as of May 31, 2010. By joining the Ceres company network, Legg Mason commits to long-term stakeholder engagement, public disclosure of its environmental and social impacts and strategies, and continuous sustainability performance improvement.

The most successful utilities in the 21st Century will be very different from those of the 20th Century. To remain competitive, U.S. utilities will need to provide cleaner, low-carbon electricity while enabling customers to better manage and reduce their energy use. Achieving this will require significant changes to the traditional utility business model.

But Fund Giants Fidelity and Vanguard Stand Out for Their Failure to Support Any Climate Resolutions in 2009

June 16, 2010 – The financial world increasingly understands that climate change will have far-reaching business impacts on a wide array of industries. And that’s translating into ever-growing support by many of the nation’s largest mutual funds in favor of climate-related shareholder resolutions filed with U.S. companies. That’s the finding of this year’s fifth annual Ceres analysis of mutual fund votes by 46 leading mutual fund families collectively managing more than $5 trillion in assets.

June 9, 2010 – Ceres president Mindy Lubber's letter on behalf of the companies in BICEP, expressing deep concerns about Senate consideration of S.J.Res 26, a resolution to enjoin EPA from taking any action on regulating carbon.

June 3, 2010 – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), which represents many of the largest outdoor recreation companies in the nation’s $730 billion outdoor recreation economy, announced it is joining Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), a coalition of major American businesses pushing for passage of comprehensive climate and energy legislation in the U.S.

While public attention is focused on widespread environmental and financial damage from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a new Ceres report released today shows that the environmental and financial risks of producing oil in Canada's vast oil sands region may be even greater.

May 12, 2010 – BICEP companies applaud Senators Kerry and Lieberman -- along with Senator Graham who contributed so much to shaping this bill -- for moving the Senate so far toward vital climate and energy legislation. It's a significant step forward and contains several key elements in BICEP's core principles, including major limits on greenhouse gas emissions and crucial initiatives to increase renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The following statement was issued this morning by Ceres president Mindy S. Lubber on the opening day of Ceres annual conference, "Roadmap for a Sustainable Future," May 5 and 6 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. Ceres was launched in 1989 in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

At the annual Ceres Conference, Jeff Swartz of The Timberland Company accepted the top award for the best corporate sustainability report as part of the international competition organized by Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The winners, selected from nearly 100 nominations, also included Ford Motor Company and Seventh Generation.

Investment advocate Tim Smith of Walden Asset Management in Boston and the Center for Public Accountability in Washington D.C. were honored last night by Ceres and Trillium Asset Management as this year’s winners of the third annual Joan Bavaria Awards for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets. The announcement was made at the opening reception of the Ceres annual conference, which runs today and tomorrow, May 5-6, at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel.

"Participating in solution-oriented dialogue with partners like BICEP" is key to influencing meaningful climate legislation and regulation, says Target VP.

May 5, 2010 – Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), a coalition of major American businesses that has been pushing hard over the past 18 months for passage of comprehensive energy independence and climate legislation in the U.S., announced today that Target Corporation has joined the coalition.

A survey of risk managers on how climate change risk is perceived and dealt with by their businesses, released this morning, reveals the political and regulatory environments are top concerns among risk managers, survey sponsor Zurich Financial Services Group announced today. The survey, analyzed and reported by the Boston-based investor and environmental sustainability network Ceres and administered jointly with the Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA), sheds light on how 200 risk managers view climate change and its potential impact on their industries.

March 18, 2010 - Institutional investors released new climate disclosure guidelines for the oil and gas sector today and called on companies to strengthen their reporting on the risks and opportunities from climate change and evolving regulation.

Ceres, a leading network of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges, announced today that The North Face, a leading outdoor apparel and gear company, has joined the Ceres Corporate network. Companies that join Ceres endeavor to make continuous strides in improving their sustainability performance and reporting practices, and engage with investors, environmental groups, and other stakeholders.

A new Ceres report outlining the urgency, vision and competitive advantages for companies that fully embrace sustainability in their business as energy prices rise, water supplies are increasingly contested and the world’s population grows.

March 10, 2010 – Clean energy and Fortune 500 executives arrived in Washington D.C. for the fifth and final leg of "Race for American Jobs: Clean Energy Leadership", a coast-to-coast virtual race to drive home the economic and job-creation benefits of national climate and energy legislation.

Company Executives Call for Swift Action on National Energy/Climate Legislation in Washington

March 9, 2010 – As Senator Judd Gregg met with President Obama today to discuss national energy and climate legislation, executives from consumer and clean energy businesses rallied at the University of New Hampshire’s Manchester campus here to express their support for such legislation for its potential to create jobs and protect American competitiveness. The event was the fourth leg of the Race for American Jobs & Clean Energy Leadership, a national “race” to drive home the economic benefits of strong national climate and energy policies.

Area Executives Join Forces With Green Job Leaders as Part of Nationwide "Race For American Jobs" Campaign

March 2, 2010 – Members of the business community from across Ohio gathered today at Ohio State University’s Gateway Film Center to call on Congress for action on comprehensive energy and climate legislation. Major Ohio employers and job creators joined with entrepreneurs from the clean energy sector for a rally and discussion panel as part of the coast-to-coast “Race for American Jobs & Clean Energy Leadership” campaign.

February 24, 2010 – As the U.S. Senate considers a final push on climate legislation, BICEP – Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy – released a statement today urging Congress to move quickly to enact strong climate and energy legislation.

February 24, 2010 – Best Buy, a U.S.-based global retailer of consumer electronics, has joined Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), a coalition of major consumer companies advocating for strong U.S. climate and energy policy.

Company Executives, Green Job Groups Unite to Call for Swift Action on Energy/Climate Legislation in Washington

February 24, 2010 – Clean energy and skiing industry executives joined veteran leaders and green building advocates at the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Center today for the second leg of Race for American Jobs & Clean Energy Leadership, a coast-to-coast virtual race to drive home the economic benefit of national climate and energy legislation.

Ceres, a leading network of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges, announced today that EMC Corporation, a leader in information infrastructure solutions, has joined the Ceres’ Corporate network. Companies that join Ceres endeavor to make continuous strides in improving their sustainability performance and reporting practices, and engage with investors, environmental groups, and other stakeholders.

February 16, 2010 – Dozens of company executives joined union leaders, youth organizations and Congressman Earl Blumenauer at Nike Headquarters today to kickoff the Race for American Jobs & Clean Energy Leadership, a coast-to-coast virtual race to drive home the economic benefits of national climate and energy legislation.

February 11, 2010 – Despite growing water-scarcity risks in many parts of the world, the vast majority of leading companies in water-intensive industries have weak management and disclosure of water-related risks and opportunities, according to a first-ever report issued today by the Ceres investor coalition, the financial services firm UBS and financial data provider Bloomberg.

January 27, 2010 – The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today issued new interpretive guidance that clarifies what publicly-traded companies need to disclose to investors in terms of climate-related ‘material’ effects on business operations, whether from new emissions management policies, the physical impacts of changing weather or business opportunities associated with the growing clean energy economy.

January 21, 2010 – More than 80 leading CEOs from U.S. businesses, including Exelon, Virgin America, NRG Energy, eBay and PG&E, sent a letter to President Obama and members of Congress today calling on them to move quickly to enact comprehensive climate and energy legislation that will create jobs and enhance U.S. competitiveness.

December 18, 2009 – Leading U.S. companies who came to Copenhagen to push for a strong climate deal were encouraged by the agreement announced by President Obama, although it falls short of the binding international treaty they are seeking to ensure a level playing field for companies competing globally in the emerging low-carbon economy.

December 17, 2009 – Leading U.S. businesses praised U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement today that “the United States is prepared to work with other countries toward a goal of jointly mobilizing $100 billion a year by 2020 to address the climate change needs of developing countries.”

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards for 2009. Of the 92 sustainability reports received, 14 were selected for further consideration by the judges’ panel that meets next month. The final winners will be announced at the Ceres Annual Conference at the Boston Seaport Hotel on May 5-6th.

December 15, 2009 – More than two-dozen major U.S. businesses, including Dow Chemical, Microsoft, Nike, Duke Energy and PG&E, sent a letter to President Obama today encouraging him to secure a strong climate change agreement with significant emissions reduction targets and substantial new financing commitments from developed countries, including the United States.

December 4, 2009 – As world leaders prepare to meet in Copenhagen to strike a global deal on climate change, member companies of Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP), along with seven major power companies, expressed concern today about the delay in passing U.S. climate and energy legislation and applauded ongoing efforts by Senators Kerry, Graham and Lieberman to create a new bipartisan bill.

Company actions to manage and disclose environmental and social risks from vast oil extraction undertaking fall short of what investors want

Oil and gas companies spending billions of dollars per year to extract petroleum from Canada’s oil sands region are doing a poor job disclosing to investors on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that could threaten the companies’ long-term financial performance.

November 23, 2009 – The petition submitted to the SEC asks for the SEC to provide interpretive guidance outlining climate-related 'material risks' - such as new regulations, physical impacts, new economic and business opportunities and other climate-related trends - that companies should be disclosing to investors.

Wave of Businesses Joins Other Consumer Giants in Pushing for Strong Energy and Climate Legislation

November 18, 2009 – The new members were announced as the U.S. Senate considers a comprehensive climate and energy legislation and as world leaders prepare to meet in Copenhagen next month to negotiate a new international agreement on climate change.

October 28, 2009 – Ceres president Mindy Lubber praises the Securities and Exchange Commission for its decision yesterday to allow shareholder resolutions seeking information from companies on the financial risks they face from social and environmental issues including climate change.

On the eve of U.S. Senate deliberations on climate legislation, North Carolina business leaders today released a new economic study showing major economic growth and job gains in North Carolina if strong climate and energy policies are passed in Washington.

Greenhouse Gas Pollution Will Also Be Cut, as Federal Highway and Environment Agencies Work Jointly on New Rule for the First Time

October 20, 2009 – At public hearings in Detroit tomorrow Oct. 21st and New York City this Friday, the authors of a new report on proposed automobile fuel economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas emission standards will testify that the standards will be good for U.S. automakers as well as the environment.

October 14, 2009 – Using survey results to bolster their request, Canadian and U.S. networks of investors and environmental groups, and climate change lawyers, have asked the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) to address poor rates of climate risk disclosure in securities filings.

October 5, 2009 – In one of the most diverse business gatherings of its kind in support of climate legislation, the group will come to the Nation’s Capitol on October 6th and 7th, to advocate for comprehensive climate and energy policies to create more than 1.7 million new jobs, cut carbon pollution, restore America’s competitiveness and provide for our economic and national security.

Study will assess the risks to municipal water and electric power utility bonds

September 24, 2009 – Amid growing concerns about water scarcity and climate change, Ceres announced a new collaboration today with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP UK (PwC) and Water Asset Management LLC to drive sustainable investment in water-intensive sectors and the development of a resilient water infrastructure.

September 17, 2009 – Amid growing pressure on developing countries to join an international climate treaty later this year, a new Ceres report released today shows that emerging market banks are beginning to integrate climate change considerations into lending and other business decision-making, but that significantly more attention is needed.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Ceres, a US coalition of environmental and investor groups, today called for submissions to the ninth-annual Ceres-ACCA North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting.

Citing the company’s five-year track record on sustainability reporting and commitments to addressing climate change, the Ceres Board of Directors today announced it has approved The Co-operators as the newest member of Ceres’ corporate network. The Co-operators is the first insurance company among more than 80 member companies that comprise the Ceres network. A leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations, Ceres works with companies to address a variety of sustainability challenges, including global climate change.

Sodexo, Inc., a leading integrated food and facilities management services company in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, has been approved as a member of Ceres’ corporate network. Headquartered in Maryland, Sodexo North America is among more than 80 member companies that are part of the Ceres network of companies. Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations, works with companies to address a variety of sustainability challenges, including global climate change.

“One of the Most Important Votes of Our Era;” Goal as Legislation’s Journey Continues is an Even Stronger Bill Based in Sound Science

June 26, 2009 – The Ceres coalition of investors, environmentalists and public interest groups and BICEP – Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy – issued a joint statement on today’s U.S. House passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).

June 25, 2009 – CEOs from a dozen leading electric power, technology and consumer companies are visiting the nation's capital today to push the business case for strong climate and clean energy legislation before a key House vote this week on the Waxman/Markey bill.

June 23, 2009 – In a new series of print ads running in key Washington, DC publications, business leaders from companies of all sizes and across numerous sectors are calling upon President Obama and Congress to swiftly enact comprehensive legislation to cut carbon pollution and create an economy-wide cap and trade program.

PepsiCo, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, has been approved as a member of Ceres’ corporate network. As a Ceres member, PepsiCo will be among the more than 25 Fortune 500 companies that have joined Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change.

Citing the company’s increasing commitment to integrating sustainability efforts enterprise-wide, Ceres’ board of directors announced today it has approved Dunkin’ Brands, Inc., the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, as the newest member to join the Ceres company network.

Lauding Hertz (NYSE: HTZ) for its commitment to report to investors on its plans for improving the fuel economy of its fleet, shareholders called on Avis Budget Group (NYSE: CAR) to follow suit and develop a comprehensive greenhouse gas reduction plan for its rental car operations. Avis Budget faces a shareholder vote on the matter at its June 12 annual meeting in Wilmington, Delaware.

Fund Giants Fidelity, American Funds and Vanguard Lag Rest of Industry in Failing to Support Any Climate Resolutions in 2008

June 4, 2009 – A growing number of investors are pressuring companies whose stock they own to boost their attention to the business risks and opportunities posed by climate change. So they’re increasing the number of shareholder resolutions aimed at moving companies in that direction – and major mutual funds increasingly are voting with them, according to a new Ceres report.

June 3, 2009 – Climate change-related disclosure continues to be weak or altogether nonexistent in SEC filings of global companies with the most at stake in preparing for a low-carbon global economy, according to two major studies released today by Ceres, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Center for Energy and Environmental Security (CEES). The reports’ findings highlight the need for the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to respond to repeated investor requests for formal guidance on climate-related disclosure companies should be providing in securities filings.

May 22, 2009 – Ceres and BICEP - representing some of America’s largest businesses and institutional investors - applaud Chairmen Waxman and Markey for completing markup of this historic energy and climate legislation. This is the first time major legislation of this sort has passed the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

May - 18, 2009 – Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) and Ceres, a coalition of investors and other public interest organizations working to address sustainability challenges like climate change, today released a statement supporting the newly announced compromise version of the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.

May 13, 2009 – ConocoPhillips shareholders demonstrated even stronger support this year than last for a shareholder proposal calling for the company to fully account for the environmental impact of its tar sands operations.

As another hurricane season approaches and government leaders debate U.S. climate policy, a first-ever coalition of leading insurers, public officials, risk experts, builders and conservation groups today announced a bold blueprint of policy changes and common sense actions that could reduce economic losses from future storms and rising sea levels by as much as half along U.S. coastlines. The coalition urges the Obama Administration, Congress, local leaders and the private sector to see that these actions are implemented through regulation, investment, education and other means.

Third Wave of Businesses Joins Other Consumer Giants in Pushing for Strong Energy and Climate Legislation in 2009

April 16, 2009 – Ceres president Mindy Lubber today announced that three new companies – Aspen Skiing Company, Clif Bar & Company, and Seventh Generation - have joined the new coalition Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP).

GE Corporation received the top sustainability reporting award today at the 2009 Ceres Conference in San Francisco, California, as part of international competition organized by the Boston-based Ceres coalition and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The winners, selected from 97 nominations, also included Seventh Generation, Ball Corporation, Symantec, the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), and Dell, Inc.

Ceres announced today that Anne Stausboll, Chief Executive Officer of the nation’s largest public pension fund, the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), was unanimously elected as co-chair of its board. Ceres President Mindy S. Lubber made the announcement before 500 corporate leaders, investors and environmentalists at the Ceres 2009 Conference, Achieving a Sustainable Global Economy at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.

Robert Massie has co-founded a homeless shelter. He’s led a parish. He’s run for statewide public office, lectured for years at the Harvard Divinity School, led the world in battling South African apartheid and then written the definitive history of America’s role in that movement.

Bloomberg L.P., a leading information-services and media company, has been approved as a Ceres network company by the Ceres Board of Directors, citing the company’s commitment to sustainability disclosure and setting goals to reduce its environmental impact. Bloomberg is the newest of more than 80 companies that have joined Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change.

April 7, 2009 - Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), a coalition of major national companies calling for passage of strong U.S. climate and energy policies in 2009, issued a statement in support of the core principles of the landmark Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill introduced March 31, 2009.

April 2, 2009 – Hundreds of new insurance initiatives, including coverage for green buildings, renewable energy, carbon risk management, and officers’ liability are being offered to tackle climate change and rising weather-related losses in the U.S. and globally, according to a major new report released today by the Ceres investor coalition.

Ceres President Mindy Lubber today issued the following statement supporting the “discussion draft” for climate and energy legislation released today: This is a landmark bill that is a great first step in tackling America's energy and climate challenges in a comprehensive fashion - a strategy that Ceres has advocated from the beginning.

State Insurance Commissioners Break New Ground By Mandating Climate Disclosure from World’s Largest Industry

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) today approved a groundbreaking mandatory requirement that insurance companies disclose to regulators and investors the financial risks they face from climate change, as well as actions the companies are taking to respond to those risks.

Ceres president Mindy Lubber today announced that three new companies - Gap Inc., eBay Inc. and Symantec Corp. - have joined a new business coalition, Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP). The coalition is calling for strong U.S. climate and energy policies in 2009 to spur clean energy and reduce global warming pollution.

Special year-long program commemorates Ceres’ 20th year with launch of new sustainability agenda, Ceres 20•20

Ceres announced today the kickoff of a special year-long program to celebrate its 20th anniversary with the release of Ceres 20•20, a bold plan with four key pillars and ambitious goals designed to move businesses, investors and policymakers towards a sustainable global economy over the next decade. Ceres will host a series of special initiatives to call attention to the Ceres 20•20 agenda (www.ceres.org) throughout the anniversary year. Ceres was launched largely in response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill that occurred 20 years ago on March 24, 1989.

Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&CO.), a leading global brand-name apparel marketer, has been approved as a Ceres network company by the Ceres Board of Directors, citing the company’s strong history of corporate citizenship, environmental progress, and support of strong climate and energy policy. LS&CO. is the newest of more than 80 companies that have joined Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change.

February 26, 2009 – Global climate change is exacerbating water scarcity problems around the world, yet few businesses and investors are paying attention to this growing financial threat, according to a report issued today by Ceres and the Pacific Institute.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards for 2008. Of the 99 sustainability reports received, 19 were selected for further consideration by the judges’ panel that meets next month. The final winners will be announced at an ACCA Canada hosted awards ceremony at the Carlu in downtown Toronto on April 6, 2009 and at Ceres 20th Anniversary Conference at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on April 15-16, 2009.

While progress is being made, consumer and technology companies still have more to do in confronting the business challenges posed by climate change, according to a report issued today by the Ceres investor coalition and authored by RiskMetrics Group that analyzes climate change governance practices at 63 of the world's largest retail, pharmaceutical, technology, apparel and other consumer-facing companies.

By American Benchmark Press with an Introduction by Mindy S. Lubber, President, Ceres

Climate change, water scarcity and a dangerous addiction to fossil fuels — the world faces immense crises, and yet the solution to them all lies within our grasp. By rebuilding, repowering, and refueling the planet to create a sustainable, green economy, we can meet these 21st century challenges head on. Forward-thinking businesses grasp the opportunities, and GREEN BIZ by the American Benchmark Press (November 18, 2008) highlights 50 of them, profiling the green strategies of such major businesses as IKEA, IBM, Herman Miller, Statoil , Pacific Gas & Electric, Nike and Timberland.

A new Ceres report issued today identifies the steps foundations and individual investors can take to address climate change-related risks and opportunities that may be embedded in their investment portfolios.

November 19, 2008 – Five leading U.S. corporations joined with Ceres today to announce the launch of a new business coalition calling for strong U.S. climate and energy legislation in early 2009 to spur the clean energy economy and reduce global warming pollution. The group’s key principles include stimulating renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency and green jobs, requiring 100 percent auction of carbon allowances, and limiting new coal-fired power plants to those that capture and store carbon emissions.

As we headed to the polls, the economy, the environment, and our collective common sense told us the old ways are not working. The stumbling financial markets show the consequences of unfettered pursuit of profits in a system that has no debits on the ledger for environmental degradation and no credits for a social conscience. The troubled climate is bringing home the cost of fouling the air and abusing fragile ecosystems. And inequitable use of resources is widening the gap between rich and poor.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Ceres, a U.S. coalition of environmental and investor groups, today called for submissions to the seventh-annual Ceres-ACCA North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting.

Curtis Packaging, a private, family-owned, luxury packaging goods company has been approved as a Ceres network company by the Ceres board of directors. The board cited the company’s focus on sustainable packaging and established leadership in the industry. Curtis Packaging is the first packaging company to join Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges, and is among more than 70 companies in the Ceres network, including over 25 Fortune-500 companies.

Citing the company’s commitment to lead the real estate industry on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, the Ceres board of directors has approved Jones Lang LaSalle, a financial and professional services firm specializing in real estate services and investment management, as a Ceres network company. Jones Lang LaSalle is the first real estate-sector firm among more than 70 companies to join Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges.

Citing the companies’ commitment to improving their social and environmental performance and reporting, Ceres today announced that it has approved four new companies – Brighter Planet, Carbon Credit Corporation, Cone, and credit360.

June 12, 2008 – A broad coalition of investors and major environmental groups today repeated their call to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to address the obligations of publicly-traded companies to assess and fully disclose the material economic opportunities and risks from climate change. The 20 signatories to the letter include leading U.S. and European institutional investors such as CalPERS, CalSTRS, F&C Asset Management and the Maryland, New York, New York City, New Jersey, North Carolina and Oregon public pension funds.

U.S. and Canadian investors praised California Senate leaders for approving a measure which will result in the nation’s first state standard for voluntary climate risk disclosure by corporations. California Senate Bill 1550, “Corporations: climate risk disclosure”, was approved on the floor of the California State Senate today and now moves to the California Assembly for consideration.

Ceres and the Heinz Center today announced the launch of the Resilient Coasts Initiative, a first-of-its-kind collaboration of private and public sector groups to find public policy and private market solutions to better protect coastal communities from rising sea levels and other potentially damaging consequences of climate change.

Reports Details Rising CO2 Emissions from 100 Largest U.S. Power Companies; Company-by-Company Exposure to Proposed Greenhouse Gas Limits Before

A new report released today shows that carbon allocation scenarios under Congressional legislative proposals to limit global warming pollution will have dramatically different financial impacts – with billions of dollars at stake – on power companies and consumers.

Ford Motor Company and The Timberland Company received the top sustainability reporting awards today in an international competition organized by the Boston-based Ceres coalition and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The winners, selected from 87 nominations, also included Calgary, Alberta-based Suncor Energy and Austin, TX-based Dell, Inc. The four winners were announced at the Ceres annual conference today at Boston’s Renaissance Harbor Hotel.

Ceres and Trillium Asset Management Corporation (“Trillium”) today announced the inaugural winners of the Joan Bavaria Awards for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets. The two winners were announced at the Ceres annual conference in Boston.

Virgin America, the new California-based airline aimed at reinventing air travel has been approved as a Ceres network company by the Ceres board of directors. The board cited the company’s founding commitment to being a sustainability leader in the airline industry. Virgin America is the second airline to join Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges, and is among more than 70 companies in the Ceres network, including over 25 Fortune-500 companies

The mutual fund industry’s previously icy attitude toward climate change shareholder resolutions is beginning to thaw as Wall Street starts to recognize the financial risks and opportunities of global climate change, according to a new Ceres report announced today analyzing the voting records of 1,285 funds of 62 leading mutual fund firms.

Citing the company's leadership on climate change, Citi has been approved by the Ceres board of directors as a Ceres network company. Citi Inc. is the world’s largest financial services company, which provides global consumer services, corporate investment banking, global wealth management and alternative investment services. Citi is among several leading financial service companies, including Bank of America, State Street, and Wachovia, that have joined Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges. Citi is among more than 70 companies in the Ceres network, including more than 20 Fortune 500 companies.

While encouraging progress is being made, the banking sector still has a long way to go in confronting the business challenges posed by global climate change, according to a first-ever report issued today by the Ceres investor coalition that analyzes climate change governance practices of 40 of the world’s largest banks.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards for 2007. Of the 87 sustainability reports received, 21 were selected for further consideration by the judges’ panel that meets next month. The final winners will be announced at the Ceres Annual Conference at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston on April 29, and also at an awards ceremony in Vancouver on May 14.

Honoring the founder of both organizations, Ceres and Trillium Asset Management Corporation have established an annual awards program named after socially responsible investment pioneer, Joan Bavaria. The inaugural Joan Bavaria Awards for Building Sustainability into the Capital Markets will be presented at the Ceres 2008 Conference to be held April 29-30, 2008 in Boston.

Citing Anvil Knitwear's commitment to further integrate environmental and social performance into the company's U.S. and international facilities, Anvil has been approved by the Ceres board of directors as a Ceres company.

October 18, 2007 – Hundreds of new insurance initiatives, including ‘green’ building credits, drought-protection in developing countries and incentives for investing in renewable energy and carbon emissions trading are being offered to tackle climate change and rising weather-related losses in the U.S. and globally, according to a major new report announced today at the annual conference of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors.

As part of its $20 billion initiative supporting the growth of environmentally sustainable business activity to address global climate change, Bank of America today announced a $1 million grant to the United Nations Foundation to establish a "National Task Force on Energy Efficiency" with Ceres.

Ceres has been named one of the 100 most influential players in the corporate governance movement by Directorship Magazine. Ceres cutting edge work improving corporate governance practices was highlighted in the magazine’s September issue.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Ceres, a US-based coalition of investors and environmental groups, today called for submissions to the sixth annual Ceres-ACCA North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting. The application deadline is Oct. 26 and the winners will be announced in spring 2008.

Exelon, one of the nation’s largest energy companies, has been approved as a Ceres network company by the Ceres board of directors. Exelon is among more than 25 Fortune 500 companies and eight electric power companies that have joined Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and public interest organizations working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change.

Citing the company's commitment to sustainability issues, Wachovia Corporation has been approved by the Ceres board of directors as a Ceres company to further integrate environmental and social performance into the company's business strategies and initiatives.

Citing the company’s mission to transform the energy industry in ways that will benefit the economy and the environment, the Ceres board of directors announced today that it has approved Plug Power Inc. as a Ceres company.

Haley & Aldrich, Inc., a nationally recognized environmental and engineering consulting firm based in Boston, has been accepted into the Ceres network of companies that are committed to enhancing value by integrating environmental and social performance into business strategies and initiatives. Haley & Aldrich is among more than 70 companies in the Ceres network, including 20 Fortune 500 companies. Other companies in the Ceres network include Aveda Corporation, National Grid, Nike and Seventh Generation.

May 23, 2007 – Two dozen leading institutional investors are pushing for the removal of ExxonMobil board member Michael Boskin due to the company’s inaction on the serious business risks from climate change.

Citing the company’s focus on improving labor standards and factory conditions in its extensive supply chain, the Ceres board of directors today announced that is has approved apparel giant Gap Inc. as a Ceres company.

Investors, environmentalists and business leaders are cautiously optimistic that sustainability conditions in North America and developing countries will improve in the next two decades, according to the Ceres “Advancing Sustainable Prosperity” survey conducted last week at the Ceres annual conference in Boston. Attendees at the two-day conference were queried on a range of topics pertaining to sustainability – the issues, challenges and opportunities for achieving sustainable prosperity in global economy.

Vancity Group and Bristol-Myers Squibb received the top sustainability reporting awards today in an international competition hosted by the Boston-based Ceres coalition and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The winners, selected from a record 102 nominations, also included Vermont-based Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Vancouver, B.C.-based Mountain Equipment Co-op. The four winners were announced at the Ceres annual conference today at Boston’s Seaport Hotel, where a report providing guidance to companies on sustainability disclosure was also released.

April 23, 2007 – None of the nation’s 100 largest mutual funds voted in 2006 to support shareholder resolutions calling for more corporate disclosure on the financial impacts from global climate change, according to proxy voting data compiled by Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) for Ceres

State Joins Network of Financial Leaders Managing More than $3.7 Trillion in Assets

April 17, 2007 – Fresh off the heels of hosting the first in a series of “Conversations on Climate Change,” Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced today that as the state treasurer, she will join the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a national network of investors focused on the business impacts of climate change. CFO Sink is the first Florida-based institutional investor to join the three-year-old organization, which now includes more than 50 public and private institutional investors managing more than $3.7 trillion in assets that focus on the future financial risks and investment opportunities posed by climate change.

In response to today’s announcement by ConocoPhillips that it will support a mandatory federal policy to cap greenhouse gas emissions and take other measures to reduce its climate impact, Trillium Asset Management Corporation will withdraw a shareholder proposal encouraging the company to invest more in developing low- and zero-carbon technologies.

In response to shareholder requests, two leading homebuilders, the nation’s largest warehouse club chain and a hotel chain have agreed to significantly expand reporting and disclosure on energy efficiency performance.

Calvert, one of the nation’s largest families of socially responsible mutual funds, announced today that it has withdrawn climate change shareholder resolutions filed with two leading insurance companies: The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and Prudential Financial Inc.

Investors have filed 42 global warming resolutions with U.S. companies as part of the 2007 proxy season – nearly double the number of climate-related resolutions filed just three years ago. The resolutions, seeking greater disclosure from companies on their responses and strategies to climate-related business trends, were filed by state and city pension funds and labor, foundation, religious and other institutional shareholders. The filers collectively manage more than $200 billion in assets. Some of the resolutions at these companies are not proceeding to a vote either because the proposal was withdrawn by shareholders after a satisfactory pledge by the company to implement the request, or because the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) excluded the proposal on technical grounds.

January 31, 2007 – Despite growing financial losses in various business sectors from climate change, over half of the nation’s 500 largest publicly traded companies are doing a poor job of disclosing climate change risks to their investors, according to a first-ever report analyzing climate disclosure practices among S&P 500 companies last year.

The World Economic Forum announced today the formation of a new international partnership of seven organizations to establish a generally accepted framework for climate risk-related reporting by corporations. Founding members of the institutional consortium, the Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB), include the California Climate Action Registry, Carbon Disclosure Project, Ceres, The Climate Group, International Emissions Trading Association, World Economic Forum Global Greenhouse Gas Register and World Resources Institute.

A new report released today concludes that Texas can meet its growing energy needs at lower cost, and with significantly less pollution by using new incentives for businesses and consumers in the state, and requiring utility companies to invest in cost-effective energy savings before they spend money on expensive new plants. Together, the report says these strategies would yield nearly $50 billion in savings and other economic benefits to Texas over the next 15 years with an investment of $11 billion – a dividend of more than four to one.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards for 2006. Of the 102 sustainability reports received, 19 were selected for further consideration by the judges’ panel that meets next month. The final winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Toronto on April 12, 2007 and also at the Ceres Annual Conference at the Seaport Hotel in Boston on April 25, 2007.

December 8, 2006 – Leading institutional investors this week filed shareholders resolutions with the TXU Corp. regarding the company’s plan to build 11 new pulverized coal-burning power plants in Texas at an estimated cost of $10 billion.

Citing the company’s commitment to improving their social and environmental performance and reporting, Ceres today announced that it has approved four new companies – the Aspen Skiing Company, The L.P. Thebault Company, PRIZIM Inc. and The CarbonNeutral Company – into its network.

Citing the company’s commitment to social initiatives focused on improving women’s health, the Ceres Board of Directors has approved EILEEN FISHER Inc. into its coalition of companies. The Irvington, NY-based company is the first women’s clothing company to join Ceres, a leading national coalition of investors, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working with companies to address environmental and social challenges, such as climate change.

Citing the company’s commitment to social and environmental improvements, the Ceres Board of Directors has approved National Grid into the Ceres network of companies. National Grid, based in Westborough, MA, is one of the first New England utilities to join Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest groups working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as global climate change.

With input from investors, financial firms and electric power companies, Ceres today released a report outlining actions that power companies and Wall Street firms should be taking to address the financial risks posed by climate change. The report comes as more financial services firms, including Citigroup, JPMorgan and Sanford C. Bernstein, are boosting their research on the financial impact of emerging climate change regulations.

For the first time, major institutional investors today called on S&P 500 companies to follow their European counterparts in using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to improve their public disclosure to shareholders on pressing environmental and social issues. The announcement comes as GRI today unveiled new reporting guidelines, called G3, that elevate climate change as a key disclosure topic for companies to include in public reports.

Three leading U.S. organizations have announced a unique collaborative effort to educate hundreds of independent corporate board members about the potential liabilities and strategic business opportunities global climate change can create for companies. The announcement was made at a plenary session of the 2006 annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, being hosted here this week by former President Bill Clinton.

Citing the company's increasing commitment to socially responsible investing, sustainability reporting, and community engagement, the Ceres board of directors today announced its approval of Boston-based State Street Corp. as the newest company to join the Ceres network.

Premium Hikes, Coverage Restrictions a growing Major Problem along Gulf Coast, Florida and New England

Dozens of new insurance activities, such as 'green' building credits and incentives for investing in renewable energy, are emerging to tackle the causes of climate change and rising weather-related losses in the U.S. and globally, according to a major new report issued today by the Ceres investor coalition. But the report also states that more insurance companies need to be offering similar services to minimize losses and make the most of business opportunities related to climate change.

Ceres, a U.S. coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations, today announced it is joining the Enhanced Analytics Initiative as a partner, a new membership category for organizations supportive of EAI's mission, and has pledged to support EAI’s mission to encourage investment research that considers the impact of ‘extra financial’ issues on long-term company performance.

The launch of a revolutionary all-natural paper coffee cup—made from fully renewable resources—has been applauded by Ceres, a national coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies to tackle environmental challenges. The new cup is being introduced nationally by a partnership of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. of Waterbury, Vt., and Foodservice Business, International Paper, of Memphis, Tenn.

Citing the company’s recent progress on electronics recycling and its overall commitment to social and environmental improvements, the Ceres board of directors today announced it has approved Dell Inc. as a Ceres company.

Investors have been enormously successful engaging with companies on climate change during the 2006 proxy season. More than two-dozen climate-related shareholder resolutions were filed with U.S. companies, some of which were ultimately withdrawn by shareholders after a satisfactory pledge by the company to implement the request, or because the SEC excluded the proposal on technical grounds.

ExxonMobil now admits global warming is real and poses risks but the company has not yet taken steps - such as meaningful alternative energy investments - that would demonstrate that ExxonMobil is managing the risks to its shareholders and capturing the opportunities posed by climate change, according to a new report issued today by Ceres.

Ceres, a national coalition of investors and environmental groups, praised AIG, the world's largest insurer, for becoming the first U.S.-based insurance company to adopt a policy to manage the risks and capture the business opportunities posed by climate change. AIG unveiled the new policy on May 15. Ceres has been seeking improved U.S. insurance industry practices on climate change through the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a group of 50 institutional investors that manage nearly $3 trillion in assets.

April 28, 2006 – A new Ceres report released today finds that the uncertainty in the U.S. regarding the future course of energy and climate change policy is a major problem for investors and Wall Street analysts in assessing the value of auto companies, and that analysts need better disclosure from auto companies about their strategies for managing the risks and capturing the opportunities posed by new energy and climate change policies taking effect worldwide.

Ceres was among 16 recipients of the prestigious 2006 Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship. Skoll Foundation Chairman Jeff Skoll presented the award last month to Ceres President Mindy S. Lubber at the third annual Skoll World Forum on Social Entrepreneurship at the University of Oxford in England.

PG&E Corporation has become the first California utility company, and one of only 15 Fortune 500 companies, selected to join Ceres, a leading national coalition of investment funds, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working with companies to tackle environmental and social challenges, including climate change.

A new report evaluating air pollution trends at the nation's 100 largest electric power producers shows that emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) have fallen markedly in recent years, but carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions increased and will likely spike in coming years.

Nike Inc. and Hewlett-Packard received the top sustainability reporting awards today in an international competition hosted by the Boston-based Ceres coalition and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The winners, selected from a record 87 nominations, also included Seventh Generation in Burlington, VT, Dofasco in Hamilton, Ontario and Gap, Inc. in San Francisco, CA. The five winners were announced at the Ceres annual conference today at the Oakland Marriott.

March 29, 2006 – More than 38,000 investors and consumers today called on the nation's three largest mutual fund companies - including Boston-based Fidelity - to focus their attention on the financial implications of global warming. The three mutual fund families collectively manage more than $1 trillion in assets.

After years of inaction, a growing number of leading U.S. companies are confronting the business challenges from global warming, recognizing that greenhouse gas limits are inevitable and that they cannot risk falling behind their international competitors in developing climate-friendly technologies. Some U.S. companies, such as General Electric, are catching up and joining Cinergy and Alcoa in leading their industries. But many others are still largely ignoring the climate issue with 'business as usual' strategies that may be putting their companies and shareholders at risk.

In response to shareholder requests, two leading big-box retailers and the nation's largest shopping mall company have agreed to significantly expand reporting and disclosure on energy efficiency performance, with the two big-box retailers also agreeing to discuss greenhouse gas emissions.

In response to shareholder requests, four U.S. electric power companies in Missouri and Wisconsin have joined other utility companies by agreeing to assess and disclose the potential impacts from foreseeable regulations to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Citing their commitment to reporting and improving their social and environmental performance, Ceres today announced that it has approved three new companies - General Mills, Piper Jaffray & Co. and Time Warner - into its network of companies.

Seven out of 10 U.S. mutual fund investors now want their mutual funds to support global warming shareholder resolutions, but not one of the nation's largest mutual funds voted in favor of any climate change proxy measures during 2005, according to a major new public opinion survey from the Civil Society Institute (CSI) and a report prepared for the Ceres investor coalition.

January 20, 2006 – Ceres and the Investor Network on Climate Risk have published a 24-page "toolkit" to help companies address the strategic and financial challenges associated with global climate change.

The Ceres coalition announced today it has received support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct additional pilot projects under its Facility Reporting Project (FRP). FRP aims to improve sustainability reporting and performance at individual facilities across the country.

Governors of seven Northeast states today unveiled a pioneering bipartisan accord that will cut heat-trapping global warming emissions from the region's power plants and create new investment in cleaner, more efficient energy technology. Along with new pollution limits, the plan will use a market-based strategy that rewards smart companies for outperforming the new pollution limits and lowers overall compliance costs.

December 1, 2005 – Citing the enormous risks that insurance companies face from escalating losses caused by extreme weather events and the financial risks and opportunities associated with climate change, 20 leading U.S. investors urged 30 of the largest publicly-held insurance companies in North America to disclose their financial exposure from climate change and steps they are taking to reduce those financial impacts.

McDonald's restaurants are partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. to source, roast and package Newman's Own Organics Blend coffee exclusively for more than 650 McDonald's restaurants in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Albany, NY. The new coffee will be available beginning Nov. 1.

Citing the company's progress on sustainability reporting and commitment to continuous enhancement of its social and environmental performance, the Ceres board of directors today announced it has approved fast food giant McDonald's Corp. as a Ceres company.

Ceres, a U.S-based coalition of investor and environmental groups, and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in Canada, are seeking submissions for the 2005 Ceres-ACCA North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting.

September 19, 2005 – Carbonfund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the threat of climate change, and Ceres, a national network of investment funds, environmental organizations and other public interest groups working to advance environmental stewardship on the part of businesses, have launched a joint carbon offset program.

September 8, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina is a most poignant reminder that U.S. insurers, government and consumers are at enormous risk from escalating losses from hurricanes and other weather-related events. Unless insurers and their regulators take steps to address this growing challenge, particularly in an era of escalating climate change impacts, companies, governments and the public will suffer even greater financial losses in the future, according to a new report released today by the Ceres investor coalition.

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (NASDAQ: GMCR) has been notified that is has been accepted to the Ceres network of companies that are committed to enhancing value by integrating environmental and social performance into business strategies and initiatives. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is the first publicly owned coffee company to join this prestigious network of approximately 70 companies of all sizes, including Aveda Corporation, Seventh Generation, Ford Motor Company, Green Mountain Power Corporation, Interface, Inc., and Nike, Inc.

Citing the financial risks that electric power companies face from climate change, 15 leading U.S. investors today sent letters to 43 of the country's 50 largest investor-owned greenhouse gas emitters in the industry requesting that they report within a year how future greenhouse gas limits will affect their financial bottom lines and steps they are taking to reduce those financial impacts and improve their competitive positioning. (See company list below.)

As a result of a shareholder resolution filed with the Southern Co., the Atlanta-based company today released a report analyzing the potential effects of climate change regulations on its operations. Because of Southern's reliance on coal to generate electricity at its power plants, shareholders are concerned that potential future policies restricting greenhouse gas emissions might put their investments at risk.

Hundreds of institutional investors from around the world, Wall Street leaders, and state treasurers will be meeting Tuesday, May 10, at the United Nations in New York City to discuss how to address the financial risks and realize the opportunities from global climate change.

Citing a new Ceres report about the financial risks electric power companies face from climate change, leading U.S. institutional investors today called on the country's 50 largest investor-owned greenhouse gas emitters in the electric power industry to report within a year how future greenhouse gas limits will affect their financial bottom lines and steps they are taking to reduce those financial impacts and improve their competitive positioning. The investors will be mailing letters to the CEOs of the 50 companies on this issue later this month. (See company list below.)

Nike, Inc. today issued its second corporate responsibility (CR) report highlighting the Nike brand's CR priorities, programs, progress and challenges relating to workers in contract factories; employees and diversity; the environment; and community investment. In addition, the company became the first in its industry to voluntarily disclose the names and locations of the more than 700 active contract factories that currently make Nike-branded products worldwide. This information, along with its report, is posted on Nike, Inc.'s website atwww.nikeresponsibility.com/reports.

Hewlett-Packard and the Gap are among four U.S and Canadian companies that received sustainability reporting awards today in an international competition sponsored by the Boston-based Ceres coalition and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). The award winners, selected from among 68 nominations, also included YSI Inc. in Yellow Springs, Ohio and the Vancity Credit Union in Vancouver, British Columbia.

As a result of a shareholder resolution filed with the Ford Motor Co., the country's second largest automaker today announced it will issue a first-of-its-kind comprehensive report later this year that will examine the business implications of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the motor vehicles made by Ford as well as the facilities that produce them. The climate risk report will also examine impacts from possible policy and regulatory changes.

March 17, 2005 – After extensive negotiations with shareholders, Anadarko Petroleum, Apache, ChevronTexaco and three other leading U.S. oil and gas companies have taken far-reaching actions in recent months to disclose their potential financial exposure from climate change and develop strategies to improve their strategic positioning as international pressure grows to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy sources.

December 7, 2004 - A mere two percent of the assets of the largest 100 mutual funds in America voted in 2004 to support shareholder resolutions calling for more corporate disclosure on the financial impacts from global warming, according to a new Ceres study authored by the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) and released today by Results for America, a project of the Civil Society Institute.

As a result of a shareholder resolution filed with Cinergy Corp., the Ohio-based company today released a report analyzing the potential effects of climate change regulations on its operations. Because of Cinergy's reliance on coal to generate electricity at its nine Midwest power plants, shareholders are concerned that potential future policies restricting greenhouse gas emissions might put their investments at risk.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and Ceres, a US coalition of environmental and investor groups today called for submissions to the Ceres-ACCA North American Awards for Sustainability Reporting 2004. These awards, the first ever in North America, are entering their third year.

A wide-ranging group of 22 union, religious, science, state government and former federal officials today petitioned the trustees of the Commission on Presidential Debates - as well as debate moderators Charles Gibson and Bob Schieffer - to "include questions about the candidates' plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting clean energy and clean vehicle technologies as urgent matters of both domestic and foreign policy."

The "Sustainability and Risk: Climate Change and Fiduciary Duty for the Twenty-First Century Trustee" workshop at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government was a huge success. Representatives from the three largest public pension funds in the country, the California Public Employees Retirement System, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, and the California State Teachers' Retirement System, attended. Ceres co-sponsored the event - the first of its kind - with the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative and the Energy Technology Innovation Project in the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

An investor guide released today outlines specific strategies for addressing the financial risks and investment opportunities posed by global warming. The guide identifies actions that pension plans, fund managers and companies can take to address climate risk,and also recommends that investors support government action to reduce investor and business uncertainty on global warming.

In response to shareholder requests for disclosure on how companies are planning for potential constraints on carbon dioxide and other emissions, electric power giant Southern Company and power company TXU have agreed to report publicly on how they are planning for those scenarios, while Houston-based power provider Reliant Energy has agreed to take steps to improve measurement and disclosure of the financial impact of its emissions.

Faced with shareholder resolutions requesting reports on their preparedness for world constraints on carbon dioxide emissions, U.S. oil and gas companies have taken two distinct directions in response, with two companies making commitments to develop policies on carbon dioxide emissions and one company pledging to reduce emissions, while three more refused the requests and were hit with large percentages of shareholders voting against management on the resolutions last week.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) presented reporting awards to five companies for the second annual Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards at a luncheon in Boston today. Suncor Energy, Inc., a Canadian company, took the top award.

Thirteen major public pension fund leaders - including eight state treasurers and comptrollers, four labor pension fund leaders, and the New York City Comptroller, collectively managing assets of nearly $800 billion- today called on the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) to eliminate any doubt that publicly traded companies should be disclosing the financial risks of global warming in their securities filings.

A new report rating air pollution emissions performance of America's 100 largest electric power producers reveals important trends in the industry, and sharp contrasts between the best and worst emissions performers. The report shows overall emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are dropping, thanks largely to standards created in the Clean Air Act of 1990. Meanwhile emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which remain unregulated, are soaring.

The oil and gas industry faces a record number of global warming shareholder resolutions in 2004, with an expansion of such proxy measures to smaller independents. State, city, religious and other institutional shareholders have filed 13 resolutions requesting risk disclosure and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with 10 oil and gas companies, 5 of which are facing questions on the issue for the first time. In addition to targeting household names such as ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco, the shareholders have broadened their concern to smaller, independent exploration and production companies, such as Devon and Apache. These companies, the shareholders say -- which only drill for and produce oil and gas and are not diversified with distribution or retail operations -- are even more vulnerable to regulatory- or market-based limits on carbon dioxide emissions worldwide.

In response to shareholder proposals for greater transparency on how companies are planning for potential constraints on carbon dioxide and other emissions, electric power giants American Electric Power and Cinergy have agreed to report publicly about on how they are responding to growing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas and other emissions. The company reports will assess the impacts of and potential responses to a number of policy scenarios, including various proposals in Congress and existing state legislation to limit carbon dioxide and other emissions. Both companies agreed to the shareholders' request that a committee of independent directors oversee the report. As a result, shareholders will withdraw resolutions facing the two companies.

California State Treasurer Phil Angelides today launched a landmark initiative to use CA pension funds' clout and considerable assets to demand more disclosure of climate- and other environmental risks from portfolio companies and invest in clean energy technologies to encourage job creation and economic growth in California. He cited the Ceres-led Investor Summit on Climate Risk, held at the United Nations in November, 2003, as part of the impetus for the announcement.

There is mounting evidence that failure to respond to the risks posed by climate change could result in multi-billion dollar losses for U.S. businesses and investment portfolios, and this failure could represent a breach of fiduciary duty on the part of corporate directors and investment decision-makers, according to a report released today.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards 2003 program. Of the 52 applications received, 21 were selected for further consideration by the judges' panel that meets next month, including 16 for sustainability reporting and 5 for environmental reporting. This group includes several first-time reporters as well as small and medium sized reporters.

U.N. Summit To Attract Institutional Investors With More Than $1 Trillion In Assets, Wall Street Firms

In an historic expression of growing alarm at the potential economic costs of global warming to U.S. pension funds, institutional investors representing over $1 trillion in assets will gather with senior representatives of Wall Street fund management firms for a closed- door summit at the United Nations New York headquarters Friday to examine the risks of climate change to their portfolios and determine further action. Key participants will hold an in-person and phone-based media briefing at 1 p.m. to report on actions they may take.

Ceres, NRDC, and PSEG have recently updated the Benchmarking Report with 2001 electric generation company and power plant data. The information, as in past Benchmarking reports, catalogues and compares air pollutant emissions of the 100 largest U.S. electric power producers for 2001. The information was compiled and analyzed in collaboration by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG), a New Jersey-based electric utility; and Ceres, a national coalition of environmental and investor groups.

Ceres, also known as the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, in conjunction with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), is launching the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards 2003 program. The purpose of the awards program is to contribute to reporting on sustainability, environmental and social issues by United States and Canadian corporations and other organizations by rewarding best practice and providing guidance to other entities that are publishing or intend to publish sustainability reports.

Most of America's biggest carbon dioxide-emitting companies - including ChevronTexaco (CVX), ExxonMobil (XOM), General Electric (GE), Southern Company (SO), and Xcel Energy (XEL) - are not adequately disclosing the financial risks posed by climate change and also are failing to deal with global warming issues in other key corporate governance areas, according to a new study of 20 of the world's largest companies.

An unusual partnership of electric power companies, investors, and major environmental groups today released recommendations for the industry, government and Wall Street on the issue of global warming. Among the recommendations was a call for a mandatory national climate change program to limit greenhouse gas emissions. A national cap on emissions, the participants say, would create business certainty for electric companies and their investors, and would encourage investment in cleaner new technologies.

A global warming proxy resolution that attracted 24 percent of shareholder support today at TXU Corporation (NYSE: TXU) is a "major victory" for religious institutional investor members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), which is pressuring major U.S. utilities to take action on climate-change issues.

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) is now alone among the four "supermajor" oil companies in refusing to take meaningful action to mitigate the growing risks posed by global warming, according to a study released today by Claros Consulting of London, England. The Claros report notes that a host of global warming events and trends converging over the last year have "significantly increased" the climate-related risks to the wealth of ExxonMobil shareholders.

The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) presented reporting awards to five companies at the first Ceres-ACCA U.S. Sustainability Reporting Awards program in New York City on April 2, 2003.

The purpose of the awards program is to reward best practice in reporting on sustainability - environmental, economic and social -- issues by corporations based in the United States, to provide guidance to other entities that are publishing or intend to publish sustainability reports, and to increase corporate accountability on those issues.

Ceres, or The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, announced today that after seven years as executive director, Bob Massie has decided to step down in order to give himself more time and room to be treated for chronic Hepatitis C. According to Norman Dean, Ceres board chair and executive director, Friends of the Earth, Massie will remain with Ceres as senior fellow, and a member of the Ceres board, allowing him to contribute his ideas and strategic thinking while giving him the opportunity to recuperate.

Ceres and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) today announced the shortlist of candidate reports for the Ceres-ACCA North American Sustainability Reporting Awards 2003 program. Of the 52 applications received, 21 were selected for further consideration by the judges' panel that meets next month, including 16 for sustainability reporting and 5 for environmental reporting. This group includes several first-time reporters as well as small and medium sized reporters.

The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres), in conjunction with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), is launching the U.S. Sustainability Reporting Awards program. The purpose of the awards program is to contribute to reporting on sustainability, environmental and social issues by corporations and other organizations across the United States, reward best practice and provide guidance to other entities that are publishing or intend to publish sustainability reports, and increase accountability to stakeholders.

In a finding that highlights the financial and political stakes in the current debate over reducing power plant emissions, a report released today reveals wide disparities in air pollution emissions from the 100 largest electric generating companies. The report concludes that fewer than 20 power generation companies in the United States account for 50% of carbon dioxide (CO2), mercury (Hg), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitted into the air by the 100 largest public and private electric power companies in the U.S. Between 4 and 6 companies accounted for 25% of emissions of each pollutant.

The first outside assessment of General Motors Corporation's environmental performance concludes that the automaker has made significant improvements since 1994 in reducing its factory emissions, publishing annual reports on its progress, and engaging non-corporate stakeholders in its environmental performance, but that despite the improvement of individual vehicles, it has not improved the overall fuel economy of its fleet.

Ceres, the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies, today announced two new participants in its network. Environmental Defense, a national nonprofit organization representing 300,000 members and The Alliance for Environmental Innovation, it's corporate partnership program, have joined the Ceres Coalition, a network of more than 75 organizations promoting corporate responsibility.

Thirty-nine leading financial investors, managing combined assets in excess of $140 billion, today urged the CEO's of the 500 largest US companies to undertake standardized sustainability reporting measures for Year 2000. Sustainability reporting, as defined by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), links the three aspects of sustainable business practices-economic, social and environmental-in a standardized format reflective of financial reporting standards that have been common practice for decades.

The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) announced today that Nike has endorsed the Ceres Principles, a ten-point code of environmental conduct that encourages companies to commit to continual improvement in their environmental performance.

Leading representatives of the hospitality industry, corporate travel buyers, government and environmental experts gathered in Atlanta, initiating a project to increase the supply and demand of environmentally friendly hotels. Never before have both procurers and providers of the lodging industry spearheaded such an effort.

William McDonough & Partners, an award-winning architecture and community design firm based in Charlottesville, Virginia, today announced its endorsement of the Ceres Principles, a code of environmental conduct established by Ceres, the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies. Internationally recognized as one of the leading practitioners of sustainable design, WM&P is the first design firm to join the more than 50 corporate supporters of the Ceres Principles, thereby signalling its intention to encourage the design industry's adoption of ecologically intelligent methods and practices.

Consolidated Edison, Inc. (Con Edison) and Ceres (the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies) announced today that the energy provider has formally endorsed the Ceres Principles, a ten-point code of corporate environmental conduct. Embraced by more than 50 companies including American Airlines, Coca-Cola USA, General Motors, Northeast Utilities, and Sunoco, the Ceres Principles represent a voluntary commitment to continual environmental improvement that reaches beyond the performance required by government regulations.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has received a grant totaling $3 million over two years from the United Nations Foundation (UNF) to support the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an international effort designed to develop guidelines for measuring the social, environmental and economic performance of multi-national companies. The grant will be administered by UNEP through its Technology, Industry, and Economics Division based in Paris, France.

AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines (AA), announced today its participation in a major environmental initiative, becoming the first airline company to adopt the ten-point code of corporate environmental conduct known as the Ceres Principles. Culminating after several months of dialogue between AA and the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres), the announcement is viewed as a significant step in environmental progress and innovation in the aviation industry.

The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) announced today the endorsement of environmental reporting standards by Northeast Utilities, the New England power company that has played a leading role in promoting clean fuels and environmental responsibility in its generation of energy.

Penguin Computing and the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres) jointly announced today that the fast-growing Linux Solutions company has joined Ceres. "We are committed to environmentally responsible business in the strongest sense; it's the right way, and the only way, to do business" says Sam Ockman, President and Founder of Penguin Computing.

The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (Ceres), a major U.S. coalition of investors, environmental and advocacy groups, announced today that for the first time, non-governmental organizations, environmental groups, business organizations, and other interested stakeholders agreed on a proposed set of globally relevant guidelines for corporate performance reporting on sustainability.